The present invention relates generally to a photographic camera with a built-in electronic flash. More particularly, the invention relates to a photographic camera having a camera body which is integrated with a lens barrel containing a vari-focal lens and which contains a built-in electronic flash which can be projected upward from the camera body.
Photographic cameras in which a camera body is integrated at its front side with a lens barrel containing a photographing lens having an optical axis and contains a built-in electronic flash having a light emitting window, have been widely used. In such cameras, when a flash of light emitted from the light emitting window of the electronic flash is too close to an optical axis of the photographing lens, the so-called red-eye phenomenon may occur. Therefore, various proposals for preventing the occurrence of red-eye phenomenon while keeping the camera to be compact have been made.
In an exemplary camera of this type, a built-in electronic flash having a light emitting window is so constructed as to be projected upward from the upper side of a camera body so that the light emitting window can be spaced far away from an optical axis of a photographing lens. On the other hand, the electronic flash can be accommodated or retracted into the camera body when the electronic flash is not used.
Japanese Utility Model Application laying-Open (KOKAI) No. 61-116334 (referred to as a first reference, hereinafter) discloses a camera in which a built-in electronic flash having a light emitting window is pivotably supported by a movable support member which is accommodated into a camera body at a position close to the left or right edge of an upper surface of the camera body. When the electronic flash is to be used, the supporting member is moved upward from the upper surface of the camera body. As the support member is moved upward, the light emitting window of the electronic flash is rotated in relation to the support member so as to face to the front of the camera body.
Japanese Patent Application laying-Open (KOKAI) No. 62-121428 (referred as a second reference, hereinafter) discloses a camera in which a raising mechanism is provided for raising a built-in electronic flash having a light emitting window from a dead space formed along a top portion of a pentaprism mounted on an upper middle portion of a camera body. In this construction, when the electronic flash is not used, the flash light emitting window can be retracted into the dead space of the camera body, and when the electronic flash is to be used, the flash light emitting window can be raised above the pentaprism.
Japanese Patent Application laying-Open (KOKAI) No. 62-131239 (referred to as a third reference, hereinafter) discloses a camera in which a built-in electronic flash having a light emitting window is supported by a rotating mechanism provided on the slope of a prism cover which, in turn, is fitted over a top portion of a pentaprism mounted on an upper middle portion of a camera body. In this construction, when the electronic flash is not used, the flash light emitting window can be oriented toward the back of the camera body along the slope of the prism cover, in order to reduce the overall height of the camera, and when the electronic flash is to be used, the flash light emitting window can be turned to orient toward the front of the camera body. As the flash light emitting window is turned toward the front of the camera body, the distance from an optical axis of the photographing lens to the light emitting window is slightly increased.
Japanese Utility Model Application laying-Open (KOKAI) No. 61-140337 (referred to as a fourth reference, hereinafter) discloses a camera in which a lens cover for covering a photographing lens of the camera is pivotably attached at its root end to an upper side of the camera, and in which a light emitting window of an electronic flash is secured to a tip or free end portion of the lens cover. In this construction, when a photograph is to be taken by the camera, the lens cover is pivoted upward in order to open the front face of the lens of the camera, causing the flash light emitting window to be located above an optical axis of a photographing lens.
Further, Japanese Utility Model Application laying-Open (KOKAI) No. 61-76425 (referred to as a fifth reference, hereinafter) discloses a camera in which a camera body having a lens barrel containing a zoom lens is formed at its lateral side with a handgrip, and in which a light emitting window of an electronic flash is secured to a top end of the handgrip so as to be spaced far away from an optical axis of the zoom lens.
However, in the case of the cameras as disclosed in the above-mentioned first through third references, when the camera body is integrated at its front side with a barrel containing a vari-focal lens, a flash of light emitted from the light emitting window is apt to be mechanically vignetted by the forward portion of the lens barrel due to a relatively long overall length of the lens barrel.
On the other hand, in the case of the camera as disclosed in the fourth reference, when the camera is provided with a vari-focal lens such as a zoom lens having a long overall length, the lens cover for covering the lens has to be made with a bulky and complicated configuration, and accordingly, it is virtually impossible to mount the light emitting window of the electronic flash on the lens cover without a remarkable increase in size of the lens cover.
Further, in the case of the camera as disclosed in the fifth reference, since the light emitting window is spaced away from the optical axis of the photographing lens in the lateral direction, a flash photography is performed with the so-called side lighting. As the result, undesirable shadow tends to occur in the lateral side of an object, particularly, on the background wall or the like.
Furthermore, in the above-described arrangements of the electronic flash in the camera body, as disclosed in the first through fifth references, it is difficult to apply a built-in electronic flash having a relatively large guide number to the camera body without increasing the overall height, length, or width of the camera.